Come as You Are
by MangoJelly22
Summary: Sister Ruth Stonebrooke thought she knew Father Able for the fool that he was. However, during a simple mission, she realizes the priest isn't everything he says he is. And during this discovery she makes some very trustworthy friends and bad enemies.
1. Ruth and the Fish

Come As You Are

A cool breeze blew from the harbor nearby, but the nun ignored it as she jogged. Along with the breeze came the smell of sharp sea air, and the nun hated that particular sent. "Fish guts and cheap whores." she thought. Turning a corner, she felt safer in the poorly lit ally way, so she stopped. "I really shouldn't be running...that idiot is probably late anyway." Running pale fingers through sandy brown bangs, the girl attempted to control her breathing. Puddles of a recent rain littered the ally, and the girl took notice of her reflection in one. Even in the cool harbor air, she was slick with sweat that made her habit and dress stick to her body. The puddle reflected a long body with slim arms and a flat chest. Straight limp bangs framed a slightly too rounded face set with murky brown eyes. The girl sighed and wiped the sweat off of her brow as she noticed all of her imperfections; which were too many she thought. "You know vainness is a sin in the holy church." a soft voice called out. The gloom that surrounded the nun quickly left in favor for an aura of anger. "That fool...how could her Grace partner me to such an idiot." she screamed mentally. Outwardly, the nun showed no change. "You're late Father...again." The man gasped and then shrugged sheepishly. "Well you see there was this old lady crossing a street..." he began, waving his arms. The girl pushed herself off the wall with a grunt and walked away from the priest, splashing the puddle as she went. "S-Sister Ruth?" the priest screamed, running for the nun like a lost puppy. Ruth tried to walk a tad bit faster, but alas, the priest was blessed with unnatural long legs, and he quickly caught up to her. "Ruth, you're going in the wrong direction! The vampire hideout is that way!" he said jutting his long fingers behind him. "I know that, and now so does all of the people in South Harbor!" Ruth growled. She twisted toward him whilst grabbing his collar. She pulled the taller man down to her eye level and continued. "If you want the mission to work, let me do all of the thinking, planning, and action ok?" The priest blinked a few times and then gaped his mouth like a fish. "Then what would I do?" he asked loudly. "Keep quiet!" She let go of the man's collar and rosary, but did not move away from him. She studied him like she had done herself a few moments before. He was so much taller than her, with small, rounded blue eyes, and unusual sliver-gold hair that almost touched the ground. Her muddy colored eyes looked into his deep blue ones, and the longer she looked, the more she hated this man. "His eyes are blue like the sea, and his wits are about as good as a fish's." she thought turning away from him. The father blinked again and she began to walk. "He's just like a fish, wide mouthed and useless." Ruth grunted. "What? Fish? Do the vampires have something to do with the harbor's fish supply? Are they that devious?" The nun ignored the priest's idiotic ramblings. "I take that back...he's dumber than a fish."

Sister Ruth and the Father were crouched by some crates, trying to find a way into a warehouse near the bay. "The vamps the Cardinal was talking about should be in here. I say we do a charge attack and take them unawares." Ruth whispered just loud enough for her partner to understand. He nodded and opened his mouth to say something. Instead of listening, Ruth pointed in the direction he was supposed to go and ran off. Finding am entrance, she thanked the holy one for her unfeminine, long limbs, and began to ungracefully climb some wooden boxes that were under a vent. "Please be within reach." she prayed silently as she climbed. A nail in the edge of one of the crates ripped her dress, and Ruth stopped moving completely. She heard nothing but her own breathing and a low rumble inside the warehouse, so she continued her climb. When she reached the top box, she pulled out her obsidian dagger and began to undo the screws. "The monsters won't expect this." she mumbled proudly to herself as she laid the vent down. Her legs were tired from standing on her tippy toes to undo the screws, but she knew she still had strength enough to jump. Crouching down and taking a deep breath, Ruth shot up and grabbed with edge of the vent's entrance with both hands. She groaned as she pulled herself up and inside the air vent. For the first time, she was thankful she was flat-chested as she wiggled and squirmed her way through the duct. She wriggled around until she heard voices. "They'll be here any day I bet; those Vatican dogs. We've made to much noise, they're gonna know. I bet they do! They always find out, those dogs. We're dead too. Haven't you heard of that one monster they have! The one with red eyes that feasts on creatures like us! I bet you have! All of our kind know of _it_!" a weary voice whispered. She couldn't see the vamps too clearly through the grate, but as far as she could tell, there were three. "A red eyed monster? In the Vatican?" Ruth thought. As far as she knew, no creature alive like that existed; or at least the creature the vampire was describing. "And if such a thing was in the AX, I'd know. I mean from the sound of him, he's someone I couldn't miss." she thought wriggling her arm with the dagger free. Silent as night itself, she removed the grate from the opening, and pushed her upper torso near the opening. Her prediction had been right; there was three vamps. The one who'd been telling ghost stories was a dark haired male with weasel like features and sunken eyes. The other two were just as scrawny, but one was blonde and the other had a pockmarked face. Pushing her legs through the opening, Ruth felt herself fall as she threw a silver dagger at Weasel. The only sound her landing made was a quiet _tap_ as her heels hit the concrete. The blonde turned in surprise, but had no time to react as Ruth made her dark blade slice through his neck like butter. It seemed like Weasel and Blonde fell at the same time. Blood squirted onto her white dress and the blonde vamp fell on the ground; the wet, red smile she created with her sharp, cold _Dragon's Fury _shined on his neck. She looked to see the sunken eyed vampire, dubbed Weasel, had taken the dagger to the eye liked she'd hoped. The pocked marked monster looked at his colleagues on the ground; their cursed blood flowing on to the floor painting it an eerie deep shining scarlet. His whole body quivered in fear as his bowls emptied themselves. His dark eyes widened as she quietly moved toward him, never speaking, only moving to pull her other dark knife out of the weasel vampire. Her murky eyes shined in blood lust, and the blood on her habit gave her an intimidating air. The vamp didn't think twice as he ran. "The Inquisition would be proud...it is there doing that I'm this monster killing machine. "she thought. It was no secret that the "War Sect" of the Vatican made enhanced humans, but she was one of the few girls they had tested their 'super human' enhancements on. "Paula would say I've improved...that is if she doesn't hate me like the rest." Ruth smirked, thinking of her old teacher, but let the emotion die as she followed the vampire through the maze of crates. The vampire turned a corner, but the nun took her time. I'm surprised there are this few guarding this stash. Even if it's just illegal blood packets...you'd think they'd at least have ten people to keep watch." she thought scrapping her obsidian short knives on the crates. Crimson rivers flowed from the wood and she frowned. "Well this is cheap looking stuff." she mumbled.

Ruth was about to turn the corner the vampire had taken when she heard voices. "I-i-it was them! I swear to it!" A shaky gulp and then, "they paid us to watch this stuff! They said i-it was for another client! One they worked for! I don't know anything other than that!" From the sound of it, it was that ugly vamp. Ruth pressed her flat body to the closet crate. "Who's interrogating him? Surly it can't be that fool priest!" Ruth thought thinking of her stupid fish-partner. "I believe you." a deep, husky voice whispered. Ruth assumed it was whoever was scaring the vampire terrorist to death. "However I cannot allow you to live. Victor Faustus, you are charged with four counts of terrorism with arson, eight counts of kidnapping, and twenty counts of murder. In this, you are condemned to death. My orders were to kill all terrorists on sight." The deep voice continued. "In the name of the church I ask you to repent of your sins, so that you maybe forgiven in the life beyond." Ruth gulped, hoping that no one heard, especially the owner of that husky voice. Apparently neither the religious avenger nor the vampire heard; for the conversation between them continued. "What? You're going to kill me? You can't! I'm innocent! I know nothi-"the vampire called Victor screamed before he gave a shriek. His screams of pain lasted forever, it seemed, until finally they stopped, and only the faint sound of gulping and sighing was heard. Ruth had never known fear. She had been a mighty enhanced warrior of the Inquisition. She had seen, heard, and done things she was both proud and horrified of. She may have been heartless but she was not void of emotion. But never fear. However, standing pressed up against that wooden crate, listening to those sickening gulps, Ruth felt more than curious as she listen to the monster feed.


	2. The Monster and her Shadows

I do not own Trinity Blood or any of its canon characters. I do own Ruth, Claude and Claudia.

Their reactions always amused her. Her brother however did not savor the whimpers of the humans and their figure heads like she did. In this particular moment, she could understand; the sniffles and sobs were starting to wear on her nerves. "What to do, what to do?" the vampire said casually. One man, a fat balding human, begged for his wife's life, and she listened. Not that she'd actually leave any alive, but his pleas were, well amusing. "Sister, make your decision already. The sun will be up soon." Her brother whispered. He did have a way of always ruining her fun. Languidly, she turned toward him; annoyance was deep set in his silver-grey eyes. She smirked, but inwardly she sighed. Dawn's embers shone in his deep blue-black hair, signaling his truth; the accursed sun was climbing over the distant mountains. When she looked back at the sobbing cows, the terrans just blinked and stared at her. "Such dumb creatures." She thought smiling kindly at them. "I guess we should get back." She yawned stretching.

The male nodded and turned to leave. The woman brushed long, silver-grey ringlets off of her shoulders, and cracked her finger joints. "Umbra noctis, tenebras noctem. Put a fine populo exterritis. End lacrimas, finis maeroris. Extergere ab altero." She chanted, waving her slender fingers as if they were in a dance with one another. The humans gasped and huddled together as she sang her foreign words. As if by magic, her shadow swirled around her. Slowly at first, and then long dark tendrils began to writhe and spring from the ground. Soon the shadows went from empty air to living forms; dark stringy muscles formed over obsidian bones. What was empty became monstrous creatures. The female vampire finished her strange chant and laughed at her work. Where her shadow once was three monsters stood; strange, hunched creatures with red eyes, and many sharp pointed teeth. Their clawed hands wriggled, and long muscled tails flicked back in forth in morbid anticipation. "Well it has been very fun, but I must take my leave now." She said to the crowd bowing. The vampire had a kind smile, but the wicked laughter that filled her blue-black eyes could not be missed.

"Don't make a mess." She told one of her abominations, stroking it's head like a common house cat. One man in the crowd cursed her and her brother. From the look of him, he was clergy. "The Vatican will not ignore this! We will be avenged!" he screamed. The woman moved her eyes lazily to his, and her smile turned cruel. "That's what we're hoping for." she laughed and turned to walk away. She hummed a famous Germanic tune, one of her favorites, as her monsters began their feast. The sounds of ripping flesh and screams made a sickening harmony to her melody, but she only hummed, hoping her pets left enough of their dinner for the Vatican to find. "It would be hard for them to connect it to us if there was nothing left." she thought as she sang a high note.

She found her brother by the car; his eyes closed tight. "What's the matter?" she asked in the tongue of humans. She hated using that primitive language, but the current setting made it feel appropriate.

"You didn't drain them. You fed them to…..those things." He said opening his eyes to a glare. She laughed at his attempt of a scowl; her thick accent blending even into her chiming laughter. "Don't worry! It still looks like a Methuselah attack." she said. "Claudia, we cannot afford to be sloppy. You know how Issak is….." The vampire dubbed Claudia just shrugged. "I know how he is. Its done, so he has no reason to complain." Her brother just stared at her doubtfully. "You seem stressed Claude. Relax and let me talk to Contra Mundi when we return." She put on her sly smirk and lit a cigarette. Claude's shoulders released some of his tension, but that stubborn look never left his eyes. "You should trust me more. I am your twin after all." she laughed. Ignoring her jab, Claude brushed dark hair out of his face and climbed into the car. She climbed in after him. "You should be happy you look like me, I am the better looking one after all."

He ignored her again, and she sighed. "So stubborn." Taking a deep breath from her cigarette, she kicked her shiny black boots into her brother's lap, and adjusted her armband, the one that signified her membership in the Orden. The Order that would someday ruled the world. That thought brought a smile onto Claudia's rounded lips, and she began to hum that happy tune again.


	3. The Evidence and the Orden

I do not own Trinity Blood or any it's canon characters. I do own Ruth, Claude and Claudia.

Ruth looked at the ripped and chewed bodies with a scowl. "What kind of creature would do this?" she asked under her breath, hoping secretly she'd never find out. The silver-haired priest looked away; a piece of cloth pressed firmly to his mouth to stop the vomit that threatened to spill forth. She took a quick look at her partner and grunted. "What are you doing here Able?" The said priest looked at her and blinked. His answer was nothing but muffled ramblings, and Ruth really didn't care do wonder what he was saying.

"Just don't regurgitate on the scene." She looked away from him back to the slaughter. The bodies of all the towns' people told a horrible story of genocide; blood repainted everything, corpses littered everywhere, and the foul stench of death could be wafted about hundred miles from the actual site. Ruth looked at the closest body. From the look of it, it had probably been a boy; maybe around the age of thirteen. Short brown hair was matted with blood, and when she turned his head to get a good look of him, his left eye rolled over the exposed muscle of his cheek. She heard Able gag, but ignored him. Something had torn the left side of the boy's face from his cheek bones, and a blue eye dangled from the socket. The right side, the unperturbed side, showed only an expression of horror. Ruth's scowl deepened as she closed the eye still in the head. "Whoever or whatever did this was clearly doing it with purpose." She said standing up, wiping her hands on her dress. Able cocked his head to the side, and she pointed a few feet a head of them. Three priests of clergy lay almost untouched except for their bowls spilling past crimson robes, either stained by blood or dye Ruth did not know. It was odd and different from the other victims; regular towns people had be ripped, de-limed or had worse. "It seems something was…..chewing on them and their….." Able said before he did throw up this time. Ruth gave a stiff nod; it seemed like something had a great feast here.

"Would vamps really go that far?" she wondered. "Of course they would." She answered quietly to herself. Able wiped his mouth and looked at her in his fish like way. "They?" he asked. "You know who I mean." She answered. Her fist clenched into a tight ball; blood trickled between pale, slender fingers. Father Able sighed and placed her hand on her shoulder. Ruth's whole body stiffened at his touch; as if his hands were made of ice. "Don't worry. We'll find the ones responsible." He cooed in a kind, friendly sort of way. Ruth turned to look at him and his warm smile. "Could this really be the monster I heard the vamps back at the ware house speak of?" she thought, feeling wary of his closeness. He slowly opened his eyes to reveal those deep blue eyes. Something shone in those orbs; like he knew something she did not. "This is the work of some rouge vamps. Of course we'll find them, and kill them when we do." She responded. His smile dimmed to a serious look, and his eyes filled with an emotion Ruth could not place. "Don't be so sure. There are other powers at work here. Ones that are a greater threat than petty Methuselah/ Terran fights." He said. While he spoke, that emotion in his eyes sweltered, as if his words fueled a sapphire fire in them. Ruth almost didn't feel his friendly pat on the shoulder turn into a tight grip. Her glare transformed into a gape; it was almost as if the priest had become someone else; someone dangerous.

"Maybe it is true….maybe this idiot is a powerful monster." She thought; feeling uncomfortable by their closeness. Sweat trickled down from her brow into her eye, but the nun ignored the sting. She could not look away from his eyes; eyes filled with anger and passion. Ruth took a shaky breath. "What are you saying?" she asked. "It must be true! He is the cre-" she thought when Able opened his mouth.

She thought he was going to answer her, but instead he vomited on her. Ruth felt her eye twitch, and her face reddened in anger and embarrassment. "How could I think this fool was the ultimate power of the Vatican?" she screamed mentally. Pushing him away from her, she turned sharply and stomped away. "Sister Ruth! Wait! I'm sorr-" the priest said before he gagged again.

On a tree limb a few meters away, a man smoked a cigarillo and laughed at the nun and priest. Long black hair flowed past his ankles, and swirled with the smoke as the wind blew. "Your sister did such a delightful job." he said to the grey eyed man beside him. Claude turned to the man, but spared him a scowl. The smell of cloves from the smoke brushed past him as the long haired man took another breath of his light. "I knew she would. Why didn't you bring her instead of me? She would be ecstatic to hear your praises herself. Especially over her…work." Claude said. "Because Lord Cain had need of her else were. She is the third highest ranking member of our orden." The man took another puff and blew clove flavored smoke toward Claude. "Well Panzer Magier, you know-"

"Issak." The man interrupted. "Issak,' Claude started again, 'my sister is high ranking, but you know better than anyone her respect of you." Issak laughed his deep throaty chuckle and threw the cigarillo on the ground. A trail of pale smoke and the pleasant smell of cloves was the only sign it had ever existed. "Reverence is the cause of the deepest loyalty." He quoted, and this time Claude did scowl. The sun was setting opposite of the mountains, and the shade hid the two men from the harsh sun. They blended well with the darkness; the red armbands the shone brightly against their black suit-uniforms. "Maybe, but our order is full of freaks and fools." Claude thought. There was nothing more annoying to him than Issak quoting people he had never heard of. Issak saw Claude's glare and smiled a sly grin. "Maybe I should pay her a visit." He said jumping from the branch, and Claude's glare turned deadly. Claude didn't have to ask who; the man's humming of a familiar, energetic melody answered that for him. Jumping quickly from the branch, Claude sped to meet his sister before Issak did.


	4. Beautiful Obsession

Come As You Are

I do not won Trinity Blood or it's canon characters. I do own Claude, Claudia, Ruth, and other OCs.

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><p>Beautiful Obsession<p>

Thunder rolled in the distance, and a purpled smile stretched across the woman's face. It was days like this that made Claudia's blood churn with excitement. It was no matter that the Terren would probably just ruin her fun later, they always did, but she would just have to over look that. The accursed sun was setting in the distance, and most people in the streets below were scurrying back to their homes, which dawned a new day for the vampires.

Claudia yawned and stood from one of the many red velvet chairs that adorned this over luxurious hotel room. More thunder announced an inevitable storm. Slowly she danced lazily to a window, opening it as the rain began to fall. The sun was now fully past the mountains, and both moons began to shine brightly in an endless sky. "So nice….what a good omen." She whispered.

Pale lids partially covered deep blue eyes while the vampire took a deep breath of the earthy wet smells that intruded into the room. She took a moment to revel in the night air, before moving back to the chair. Her brother would be back any moment. Her smile widened. "One….." She placed a shiny black boot onto her left foot. "Two….." she repeated this with the other boot. "Three….." _click click click _

The vampire tapped her boot heels into the floor in time with her counting. "Four." The door to the room opened with a squeak.

"You're late."

Claude only grunted in response to his sibling. "What took you so long?"

Claudia's twin did not answer at first, but instead took off his dripping jacket.

"I hate him." He finally said.

Claudia blinked and then laughed. Claude's silver eyes filled with annoyance.

"So troublesome…." He grumbled, wringing rain out of his deep blue locks of hair. Jumping out of the chair, she sauntered over to her brother like a feline corning its prey.

"What troubles you, Geliebter?" She whispered. _Click click click_

The tapping of her heels mixing with her thick Germanic accent created a melody that immediately enraptured Claude. He closed his eyes and sighed. "Nothing troubles me Schwester." He turned from her.

Claudia tilted her head, but kept her amused smile. When her brother did not move from her, she gently grasped his hand and turned him to face her again. "Do you desire to know something brother?" She asked. He only grunted in reply.

"I hate him too."

Silver eyes opened in surprise. Claudia hates _him_?

Her smile slid easily into a smirk. "Yes, I hate him very much." The sister slid her pale hands across his cheeks to rest by his ears, and she pulled his face close to hers.

"He takes you away from me, and I don't like that. In fact, it makes me very angry. I'm starting to think you like him more than me." Claudia's breath grazed his ear and made her twin flinch.

What was she playing at?

"I thought I told you I hate him. If I say I hate him, then I despise him. Genug mit Ihren Spielen." Claude pushed her away with a frown. The woman smiled, but her eyes filled with a mixture of anger and rejection.

"What did he tell you?" she asked. 'Too calm...' Claude thought, looking her over for a moment before answering. "He wants us to visit the Fluer de Mal. Contra Mundi has seen no more use for the Hispania branch. They are traitors and need to be eliminated." He handed her a black bag, and she peered into it.

The female Methuselah smiled cruelly and licked her lips; a gesture that made Claude feel uneasy. "Perfect." she purred, already out the door. Personally, Claude hated grunt missions, and was dreading the thought of having to deal with the less established terrorist group, but he was not surprised that his siter was excited. She was nicknamed Queen of Bloodspill for a reason.

Mimicking the formers actions, the vampire moved out the door, and was in the streets within seconds. As he passed by, however, the desk clerk residing in the lobby gave him a nervous and obviously forced smile. She knew what he and his sibling were. "Terren will do anything for dinar, won't they? Even serve their supposedly sworn enemy." he thought, not returning the gesture. He was not concerned for the human girl's comfort.

Claude quicky matched his sister's stride through the wet and dim streets, attempting to ignore the constant patter of rain against his skin. Thunder boomed, and the water from Hispania's famous harbors churrned in tumoultous dance. Claudia turned to speak to him, but he could not hear past the screaming of the clouds. He did, however, catch one word: haste.

He only nodded, and felt the pringling feeling of his nervous system being excelerated. Haste mode was a physical ability that all vampires had; an ablility which allowed them inhance their speed and reaction time. Claude pulled his torso so low to the ground, he almost was face level with the tips of his boots, and then released the gathered potiental energy gathered in the tendons of his legs. He sprung from the ground and landed on the nearest rooftop before lightening could strike the sky again. Soon he and Claudia were nothing more than smeared blurs; the only evidence of their existence was the small tapping their boots made on the damp rooftops.

The two of them stopped in front of a small building, almost relative to a shack, and Claudia knocked on the door. A hatch on the door opened, and wary brown eyes inspected them. "Who is it?"

Claudia snickered and leaned close. "You know how I feel about pointless questions Ezekiel." she whispered. The hatch shut quickly, but the door did not open. She sighed in fake exasperation as she kicked the door from its hinges.

The startled vampires inside only sat still in awe as the two Orden members intruded into their haven. "My, my! We've been busy!" Claudia said clapping her hands, while looking over the group.

"Busy? What do you mean?" one asked. The female with silver hair only giggled and rocked back and forth on her heels. "I think you know what I mean." she answered.

Ezekiel, a stocky man with a baritone voice, moved forward. "We've done nothing wrong! We only did what you told us to do!" he screamed; sweat rolling down his shaven head.

"That's not what I've heard. I was told you've been visiting the Empire a lot lately. And not only have that, but you even had an informer you've been seeing. One that the Contra Mundi had not permitted you to see." Claudia tilted her head to the side; a gesture that seemed innocent, but had an underlying subtlety that dared no one challenge her statement.

Tension filled the small room. One vampire jumped suddenly and attempted an escape. Claude sighed and caught the man easily, however, and broke his legs. His screams killed any courage the others may have had.

"You have no proof!" Ezekiel screamed. Claudia showed them the black bag Claude gave her earlier, and spilled the contents on the floor. A blonde head rolled out onto the floor, and rested by Ezekiel's foot. The man's eyes grew wide. "No..."

Claudia's smile turned sympathetic, but her eyes mocked him. "Tell me, have you ever been to a Germanic opera?" she asked. Claude felt a twinge of nausea. He would not stay for her monster's feast.

He turned to leave as she began to hum.

As Claudia exited the hut, she wiped a bit of gore from her boot heel. Claude looked at her small frame and tried to ignore the splatters of blood on her face and clothes. "Did you eliminate them all?" he asked. She only nodded. He returned the nod. "I will tell Master of the mission completion." Her smile fell for a moment, and then returned again to rest on her pale face. "Always so busy brother." She commented lightly. He shrugged only then to turn and leave; the smell emanating from the small building made Claude wrinkle his nose.

Claudia soon followed his stride, and looked at her brother with her peripheral vision. He was handsome, even for a Methuselah, but no one would take him from her. No one, not even the Contra Mundi. She thought about her brother's return to see the master. He might be gone for a while, but he would be back for her. He would return to her no matter what. To Claudia, that was all that mattered.

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><p>Well I felt bad for not posting or updating or anything...but I've been in a block about what exactly I wanted to put for the forth chapter. I used different OCs, different settings, etc. Well it's not much at the moment, but I hope to post another chapter, and hopefully that one will start to progress the story (finally).<p>

If anyone is reading, I hope to hear from you if you feel like reviewing, and tell me how you feel about it so far, what you would like to happen, and even suggestions on some characters you'd like to see.

Well...Shadow out.


	5. The Lion,the Party,and the Oncoming War

Come As You Are

Chapter Five- The Lion, the Party, and the Oncoming War

Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood or any of its canon characters; they belong to their owner/creator respectively. I do own Ruth, Claude, Claudia, any other original characters that pop out of my brain.

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><p>Ruth was growing impatient. The prison warden had told her they could bring him in ten minutes. It was already two quarters into the hour, and the nun decided she wouldn't wait any longer. "Why does Cardinal Sforza even keep that fool anyway?" grumbled Ruth.<p>

A raspy laugh and the clinking of chains greeted Ruth from beneath a carbon glass window.

"Because I do things the fast way." The man that answered was a tall, tanned man with a wild, dark mane.

Father Leon winked and the nun scowled in response. "That's why you're here in a Roman prison."

Leon's smile slid off his scruffy face. "Still cold and harsh I see

Ruth ignored the jab, and slid a file beneath the glass. "Cardinal Caterina is sending us on a mission. Father Nightroad is preoccupied elsewhere, so I'm working with you; that is, if you choose to accept it." Ruth's stomach coiled as she spoke. Compared to Leon, Able was tolerable.

Said shackled priest smiled his sly smirk.

"What's the reward for my service?"

Ruth resisted the urge to punch through the glass and strangle him.

"Twenty years off your sentence." She replied as calmly as she could. "Twenty? Sounds good! When do we start?"

"The day after next. We still need to process your papers."

Leon nodded, his smirk growing. "So me and you get to have a little fun?" His tone was a form of playful, but it made Ruth frown.

"Not in the least. Cardinal Sforza gave me permission to put a dozen holes in you if you even consider breathing near me with inappropriate thoughts."

Leon frowned at Ruth's calm tone and blank expression.

"You wound me." he said in false pain.

"I'm sure."

Ruth stood from her stool, and Leon raised a brow.

"Leaving so soon?" he asked.

"Unlike you, I have work to do. Be ready when I come to pick you up."

Leon watched as Ruth left the room; he couldn't help but smile.

"Did we just have a bonding moment?"

**Later**

Leon enjoyed his priests robe. Unlike his prison uniform, it didn't scratch and irritate him. He wished he could wear it more often.

The priest frowned as he ran a large hand through his mane.

He should have been there….he could have saved her…and his daughter-

Snapping fingers brought him back to reality.

"Stop daydreaming and let's go. You'll have plenty of time to waste when you're back in your cell."

Ruth looked very unhappy.

Leon growled, giving him a fierce lion-like look.

The nun ignored it and began to walk.

"We are inspecting rumors of an anti-Vatican cult. It's reported to be a small meeting; a group of powerful vamps who aren't very nice."

"So it's a little get together?"

"You could put it that way."

The two clergy members walked up to a train, tickets in hand.

"It's not supposed to be an attack, but Cardinal Sforza likes to be certain."

Leon followed Ruth to the entry way onto the train and snorted.

"Of course she does."

**Later**

The city resembled all the other cities Ruth had ever been to. To the nun, however, it smelled worse than the other cities. This was a haven for the wealthy and the lazy.

She turned to Leon.

"Here's the plan. We-"

"Go undercover and see what we can find. Am I right?"

That earned the priest a glare.

Said man chuckled and put his arm around the nun.

"Relax, Ice Queen."

Ruth said nothing as the train stopped. She was glad to be off the train, and even happier when they found the hotel they were to stay in.

Walking into her room, Ruth threw her things on the floor.

She was tired and unhappy, but then again, she was always tired and unhappy.

Ruth walked to the bathroom and splashed water onto her face.

Dark circles were forming under her brown eyes, and her complexion was paler than normal. It looked as if she hadn't slept in days, but she knew it wasn't lack of sleep that made her look this haggard and sickly.

"Backlash." She mumbled under her breath.

Exiting the bathroom, Ruth pressed the comlink into her ear.

"Sister Kate?"

"I'm here."

Ruth sighed.

"It's getting worse."

There was a long pause on the other end before the kind voice on the other end responded.

"The Cardinal wants the mission to continue."

"I see."

The nun rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand, and she nodded to no one.

"The Cardinal had requested that the Professor hurry his efforts to find the-"

"I understand."

Another pause.

"Sister Ruth?"

"We leave soon."

Sister Kate hummed; the noise sounded like electric static over the comlink.

"Alright."

Ruth pulled the device out of her ear and threw it on the floor. Able would have reprimanded her for that. She snorted; wondering why she was thinking about that idiot. Picking up the bag that she had thrown down when she first entered the room, she carried it into the bathroom.

Slowly, Ruth changed from her nun's attire and into the clothes for the mission. Simple plain clothes made for a servant. The nun pulled her hair into a small ponytail, and fitted a cap onto her head.

"Still ugly." She spat.

Walking out of the washroom, she saw Leon sitting on her bed.

"How did you get in here?"

"The doors have simple locks."

She grunted and pulled on a pair of white gloves.

"Not even going to threaten me? Or attempt to rip off my limbs and beat my torso to a bloody pulp with them?"

"No time."

Leon barked in laughter.

"Guess not."

Ruth clipped the suspenders to the band of her pants and gave herself the once over before moving for the door.

Leon followed after her.

For once, he was silent.

Making it down outside to the streets, the air was warmer than expected, which made her sigh. It was warm air like this that made Ruth feel…somewhat normal.

They continued to move to their destination, not really ignoring the surroundings, but focusing on the task at hand as well. The night was lit by the warm glow of shop lights and street lamps, and the gentle chatter of the pedestrians was a pleasant comfort.

Ruth glanced at a boy and his parents leaving a candy shop, and the faint bitter sweet smell of chocolate filled her nostrils.

The Sister had never thought negatively for being abandoned for the church to save, but she did wonder, mostly from curiosity, what it would be like to be truly normal. To be a frail regular Terran woman who wore fancy dresses and doted on her handsome husband.

Ruth thought of Able.

"No."

Leon glanced at the angry nun and gave her a confused look.

"What?"

"Nothing."

That was that.

The priest decided if the soldier wanted to talk, she would talk. He doubted, however, she would even if she wanted to. She would never talk to Leon.

Ever.

Ruth quickened her pace, not really caring if Leon was catching up or not.

This slowness was giving her too much time to think.

Eventually the two church workers found the carriage that would take them the rest of the way.

Ruth climbed in.

Leon followed suit and gave the driver the code word.

She felt her body push forward due to the abrupt start of their ride, and her mind began to wonder back to her previous thoughts.

Why were her thoughts leading to Able?

Ruth frowned; a trademark for her.

It was because of the rumor she had heard. That made sense. Rumors always intrigued a person's interests.

Even if that was the reason, she didn't like the anxious feeling that bubbled in the pit of her stomach when she thought of that moron. It almost felt like she missed him….

"Hm…." She grunted.

It wasn't a good feeling; it was one built from stress or nausea.

Leon gave Ruth a sideways glance.

What was she so focused on?

Ruth wore a stoic almost pensive look.

He smiled to himself and fixed the fancy looking cufflinks on his expensive jacket.

"We're here."

"Hm?"

Ruth looked almost surprised, but recovered quickly as the carriage rode past a huge gate.

Loud music and chatter could be heard even inside the carriage, and when the two clergy members glanced outside their windows, they saw a dark sky lit orange from the bright lights of a huge mansion.

"Whoa….."

"Too bright."

The carriage came to halt as it joined a line of transportation waiting to empty rich guests to the lavish party.

They waited for what seemed like forever when their carriage finally pulled up to a set of steps.

A young boy in servant's clothes opened the wooden door and allowed Ruth and Leon to step out.

"Names?"

Leon pulled a piece of embossed paper from his jacket and handed it to the boy. The boy in turn took the slip to another man waiting at the end of the steps.

After even more moments of waiting, the boy returned.

"You may enter."

"Why thank you!" Leon boomed.

Ruth rolled her eyes and followed the priest up the stairs.

Turning to see other guests pile out of their rides, Ruth slowed a bit to see if any of them were the targets.

"Come servant boy!"

Ruth ground her teeth together and decided Lady Sforza wouldn't miss the priest.

She moved inside and brushed past two guards at the front doors.

Ruth had to admit she was surprised that they had gained entry into such an exclusive party.

It showed the power of Lady Caterina's connections.

Inside only a few guests near the entrance even noticed that Leon and Ruth had entered.

Leon gave them a smile and the ladies responded.

The overdressed priest smirked; he was enjoying the attention.

"Stop enjoying this."

"What? Why?! I've been locked up for-"

"Do I look like I care?"

Leon glanced at the stoic nun and made a pouty-like face.

"No…."

"Right. Look for the target. If you see the target, do not initiate. Contact me and I'll handle it discreetly."

Ruth tapped her ear lobe, signaling her electronic ear piece.

"Let me know."

"Geez mom, I will. Will you relax?"

Leon smirked and winked at a noblewoman behind Ruth.

"We're at a party. Have some fun, would ya?"

Ruth glowered at the man, and tried not to correct his common slang.

He may have looked the part, and smelled MUCH better in the expensive garments, but he was still the same criminal from the Roman cells.

Ruth supposed the saying about changing a hog's nature was true, and the evidence was currently swaggering over to seduce some wealthy Vampire whore.

The nun narrowed her eyes and began to move through the crowd.

She should have stayed with Leon, as Methuselah custom demands the servants were to be by their masters at all times, but she didn't plan on doing that.

Even if she was surrounded by the leeches; she was NOT staying with the moron.

'Screw their customs' was all she could think.

Ruth would rather have been tortured in the pits of the Inquisition before she'd watch the lion drunkenly attempt to mate with one of these creatures.

Ruth was pushed by velvet coats of different colors, and was forced to hold her breath to avoid the overwhelming stench of perfume.

All she could hear was the 'quiet' mumbling of the Methuselah's wealthy whilst they talked over war, politics, and matters that Ruth found valueless.

"Where are you?" she thought.

The target was supposed to be flamboyant and loud….or that's how his description in the file basically described him.

"Hm."

She was shoved very harshly by a vampire with clear skin.

She watched as he stalked away cursing loudly.

No one seemed to notice or care.

Music played and people talked.

That seemed to be all that really happened.

Ruth continued to look around to no avail.

Her target was somewhere among the crowd, but she wasn't used to Caterina's 'quiet' way of handling things.

If Ruth had her way, she'd put silver bullets in every member of this party and slaughter every one of these leeches.

"_You're being rash Ruth." _

The nun stopped in her tracks and the music seemed to dull in her ears.

Her eyes stopped on one party goer, and the guest across the sea of velvet met her eyes.

'No…..he's in Istvan.'

The man smiled at her and moved on.

Ruth continued to stare for another moment before quickly swiping her eyes with the back of one of her hands.

It couldn't have been him; the smog created by a mixture of musk was getting to her senses…or that was what she was telling herself.

She moved past a talking couple and tried to find her way back to Leon.

Despite the uncanny guest's appearance, it was the way he looked at her that worried Ruth.

There was something very ominous about it, and it was almost taunting.

Ruth ground her teeth together; did the vamps know that the Vatican was on their trail?

How could they know?

This mission was assigned secretly by the Cardinal herself; only her and Leon were the only others to even know it was assigned.

Thoughts of an impending trap motivated Ruth to move more quickly, and soon Leon was in her view.

She thought of calling out to him, but decided that would cause too much unwanted attention.

_clink clink clink CLINK_

A gentle sound of metal on glass silenced the hall.

Leon finished his loud whispered promise of a better night and looked up to see what was going on.

A vampire stood on the highest step of a grand stair case and smiled at the crowd.

"Attention!"

Leon gave the vampire a look that was a mixture of annoyance and anger; he was two kisses away from convincing this lady back to his hotel.

He gave the vamp a look over and turned back to the girl.

The vampire in question wore a purple silk coat with matching trousers, and had a gold shirt tucked into the coat. The gold buttons that lined the front of his jacket shone brightly in the lights of the chandlers, and they helped accentuate the gold lapel handkerchief stuffed into the front pocket of his coat. His shoes were made with what looked like fine purple velvet with gold adornments of the front.

Across the hall, Ruth sized the leech up and scowled.

He reeked of wealth and a pompous attitude.

The rich vamp tapped his spoon against a crystal chalice and made sure he had everyone's attention.

"Attention!"

Ruth was amazed that this male Methuselah could even move his mouth with the amount of powder that was caked on his face.

"The Marquis of Hungary is making his announcement!"

A radio was moved beside the man, and was then adjusted to a specific channel.

Static filled the air and took the place of tense silence.

And then a voice spoke through the static.

Everyone in the hall listened as the Marquis foretold the end of Rome.

Ruth stood still and felt the nerves on the tips of her fingers tingle.

That was an act of war: for a vamp to declare sovereignty on a neutral state and then to announce that he was going to destroy the largest and most powerful Human stronghold on Earth.

That was more than an act of war; that was suicide.

Leon stopped his seduction and began to frantically search for Ruth.

He was starting to see where this little shindig was headed.

The vamp in purple moved towards the radio and smiled.

At the end of the broadcast, he clicked the radio off.

"Fellow evolved citizens!"

So 'Plum' was their target.

Ruth moved back to an open corner as Plum began his speech.

She frowned at his drabble that was supposed to convince the wealthy leeches of this city to join Gyula Kadar in his mission to rise against Rome.

Across the crowd, Leon was rudely pushing past other guests in search for Ruth.

They were supposed to find a target; simple and easy.

The job wasn't to quell a rebellion!

They needed Gunslinger or Crusnik to do something like that.

Leon didn't exactly read the file he was given, so he desperately needed to find Ruth.

She'd know what to do.

Ruth had found a good spot that gave her some space to move, but had enough people to hide her from any suspicious third parties.

Slowly maneuvering a small handgun into her hand, she briefly wondered why the guards from earlier hadn't even considered to frisk either her or Leon for weapons.

"Arrogant sods." She mumbled under her breath.

The vamps probably thought they could handle any human, Vatican, or any other threat that came to the party.

Ruth had filled the gun to capacity with silver bullets, but taking the vamps natural abilities against her own at this moment, she figured she'd only get about two good shots. Or at least one usable shot while she still had surprise on her side.

Pressing the gun against her thigh, she snaked her hand up to her chest and waited for the time to shoot.

The nun didn't feel the nausea from nervousness, nor did she gain an excitement from stress of this level.

Her mind was clear and her goal was mere moments from being accomplished.

The only distracting thoughts were of Leon.

Would he be ok? Did he know how to escape when she fired the shot?

Ruth narrowed her eyes and willed the thoughts away.

She'd been around Able too long, and his stupid was rubbing off on her.

Ruth pressed the gun against her chest at the junction between her tiny breasts.

Her heart was pacing at a normal speed, and her adrenaline was only slightly raised.

The vamps would never know what happened until Plum was bleeding from a scorching chest wound.

The stoic nun swallowed.

She'd have her opening any moment now; the news of war was not new, but the declaration of a massacre had blind sighted the partygoers.

And what more, was that they were being asked to finance the Marquis of Hungary's conquest.

Everyone in the lavish mansion was at a loss; they only expected a party.

Ruth narrowed her gaze, slowly pulled her arm out, and aimed the gun at the still ranting vampire on the top step.

The purple-clad leech opened his arms in a dramatic gesture when Ruth pulled her finger against the trigger.

BANG

The sound did not come from the barrel of the nun's silver gun.

Instead Ruth's body crashed to the floor as something taller and heavier threw its weight against her.

Ruth cursed under her breath and pushed herself onto her knees, only to have her back collide with something hard.

"What's wrong with you?" she whispered harshly.

She turned and saw something extremely unexpected.

Behind her, a man hovered over Ruth; a confused expression on his face was quickly replaced by one of embarrassment and shame.

"I am SO sorry!"

Ruth wanted to curse at this man, to yell at him for his stupidity, and curse at his mother in ways that would make a sailor blush.

Her mind, however, was at a loss as she simply stared at the man who made no move to end his hovering over her.

"Father Nightroad?"

The man blinked, and then blinked a couple of more times before his face broke into a silly smile.

"I think you've mistaken me for someone else, little servant boy."

'_But….how?_'

As she stared at the man, Ruth was assured to herself that she couldn't be mistaken, but….something about this man was off.

How could he…

"You're not the Father."

The man chuckled, and Ruth blushed at the stupidity of her revelation.

"I don't believe I am."

He leaned onto his knees and held his hand out to Ruth.

"Hello little Servant Boy! My name is Cain."

* * *

><p>Hey guys!<p>

I'm super sorry about the long update, and how the chapter seems really slow!

I've been busy with some unexpected life circumstances that came up last year, but now that I've powered through, I should be able to post and update more often.

Also there were some really good predictions as to where this story is headed, and a good review about where some want the story to go.

As for reviews, I'd like to thank BlueWings900 for sticking with me this far, and SummoningShadows18 for the nice review as well.

To animefreak653, I hope this chapter gave you a little more AX fun. :)

Thanks to all who read and I hope you guys have as much fun reading this chapter as I had writing it.

Till next time,

Shadow.


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